Accidental Behaviour

Buying A Pet

Canine Epilepsy

Chinchillas?

Curing Cat Colds

Dark Park Etiquette

Dog and Cat Nutrition

Flea Season

Get Rid of Fleas and Ticks

Hamster Hair Loss

Horse Care Basics

Household Dangers for Dogs

Mourning Your Pet

Table Manners for Dogs

Teach Your Cat Tricks

Top 5 Exotic Pets

Wing Clipping

Pet Articles

A couple of weeks ago my daughter came to me complaining about a few small, red bites on her lower legs and I immediately thought, "Boy those look like flea bites, but it couldn’t be, it’s too early in the year for that." The next day she had been scheduled for her yearly physical and I asked the doctor, "Are those flea bites?" "They sure are," the doctor replied. I couldn’t believe it, fleas in early March! You get just a couple of warm days and the little buggers wake up and land on anything that is warm and full of blood.

The next day I RAN to the veterinary hospital to purchase some flea treatment for our cat and Old English Sheep puppy. Even though I treated my pets’ fur, doesn’t mean my house will not get infested. I also sprayed the entryways and carpet. There are different levels of treatment depending on how severe your pet or house may get infested. Infestation of fleas can be a nightmare if left untreated!

THE FLEA AND LIFE CYCLE

There are over 1,000 types of fleas in the world. The most common flea you will encounter attacking people and a pet is the cat flea, scientific name Ctenocephalides felis. Adult fleas are very small (roughly 1/16 inch long), wingless dark reddish-brown, hard-bodied (difficult to crush between fingers), have three pairs of legs (large hind legs enabling jumping). Fleas are excellent jumpers, leaping vertically up to seven inches and horizontally thirteen inches. They will land and feed on cats, dogs, and humans, as well as rodents, chickens, opossums, raccoons, and other animals.

Fleas go through three stages before they become adults (egg, larvae and pupa). It can take from 30 days to one year to complete this cycle. The immature stages are most commonly found in areas where the host (animal) rests and visits frequently. Eggs that are laid on the animal will easily fall off and land on surfaces like carpets, furniture, pet bedding, cracks, crevices, etc. The adult flea is the only stage routinely found on the animal, but normally spends little time there. They prefer to hop off the animal after a meal and hide in warm dark places such as furniture, carpets, etc. Adult fleas will live 7-10 days. The average female flea will lay 150 eggs in that time span.

Egg - Flea eggs are oval, pearly white, non-sticky and about 0.5 mm in length. The egg hatches between 1 and 10 days of being deposited on the host and falling off into the environment.

Larvae - Small, worm-like larvae (1/16 to 3/16 inches long) hatch from the eggs within 48 hours. They are eyeless, legless, and sparsely covered with hairs. The larval body is translucent white with a dark colored gut that can be seen through their skin. They feed on adult flea feces, consisting of relatively undigested blood, which dries and falls from the host's fur. They will also eat dandruff, skin flakes, and grain particles. Larvae develop on the ground in areas protected from rainfall, irrigation, and sunlight. This stage lasts eight to 24 days, depending on the temperature and humidity.

Pupa - These immature fleas will eventually spin silken cocoons in which they will develop (pupate) into adult fleas. Cocoons are sticky, attracting dirt and debris, which will easily camouflage them. Under optimal conditions, new adults are ready to emerge from their pupa cocoons within two weeks. They can, however, remain in their cocoons up to 12 months in the absence of a host or unfavorable climatic conditions. Vibrations and/or elevated temperature (a couple of warm days) stimulate adults to emerge. This ability of flea pupa to wait until a host arrives can result in a sudden increase of adult fleas when they emerge simultaneously from many accumulated flea pupa.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN FLEAS BITE

Adult fleas are not only a nuisance to humans and their pets, but can cause medical problems including flea allergy dermatitis, tapeworms, secondary skin irritations and, in extreme cases, anemia. Although bites are rarely felt, it is the resulting irritation or inching caused by the flea salivary secretions that varies among individuals.

Relief from itching can be obtained by applying carbolated vaseline, menthol, camphor, calamine lotion or ice. Highly sensitive persons should consult their physician for advice.

FLEA CONTROL MEASURES

The goals of flea control are to eliminate the adult fleas on the animals as well as immature fleas in the environment. Flea control is best achieved with a simultaneous, coordinated effort involving pet treatment, strict sanitation and premise treatment (both indoors & outdoors).

Inspection - Flea activity "hot spots" can be detected by placing white socks over shoes and walking through the residence into suspected areas. Research has demonstrated that these areas will contain the highest amount of eggs, larvae and pupa even after vacuuming. Hot spots for dogs are usually areas where the pet goes in and out of the house, eats, sleeps and spends time with the family at the base of furniture. The same goes for cats and also check the tops of refrigerators, cabinets, bookcases and higher locations where the cats like to go.

Sanitation - Before vacuuming, make sure the floor is clear of items such as toys, shoes, clothes, stuff under beds, on furniture, in closets, etc., to ensure best access for treatment. Also cover fish tanks, remove birdcages, pet food and water dishes and wash or dry clean any pet bedding and your bedding. Vacuuming must be performed daily or at least every other day to be effective. A vacuum with a power head is better to use because it has more force to pull up fleas and larvae off the carpet. Flea larvae do not move far from the site of hatching when there is adequate food and can be found deep in the carpet at the base of fibers frequently becoming entwined within the carpet. Vacuum especially where lint and pet hairs accumulate along baseboards, around carpet edges, around heat registers, in floor cracks, and under and in furniture where the pet sleeps. If infestation is real bed, getting your carpet professionally cleaned in addition the other control methods will help in removing potential food sources for the larvae.

After vacuuming, discard the vacuum bag in an outdoor trash container. If the cleaner uses a liquid water medium in a plastic pan (rather than a dust bag) discard dirty water far away from the house.

Treatment For Pets - There are many formulations as shampoos, aerosols, dips, sprays, dusts (powders), collars, dab-ons, spot-ons and monthly tablet or oral liquid treatments. Usually, the most effective pet treatments are available through licensed veterinarians. Botanical products are the closest things to have to “natural” insecticides.

Dab-on and Spot-on:

1.  Lufenuron (Program), a non-pesticide, is a product of Novartis Corporation that controls fleas on dogs and cats of any size, weight or breed. A dog is given one tablet once a month with a normal meal. Cats are given a tablet or a liquid dose once a month with a liquid meal.

2.  Fipronil (Frontline Top Spot), a pesticide, is a product of Rhone Merieux, Inc. that kills adult fleas up to three months on dogs and a month or more on cats. A pre-measured dosage in a plastic pipette is applied in a spot between the pet's shoulder blades (part the fur).

3.  Cythioate (Proban), a pesticide, is a product of Bayer in the tablet or oral liquid formulation, which controls fleas on dogs of all ages.

4.  Fenthion (Pro-Spot), a pesticide, is a product of Bayer, which controls fleas on dogs at the time of treatment and has good residual activity against many of the fleas that may reinfest the dog after treatment. Apply the applicator tube contents on the dogs back, on the skin (part the fur) between the shoulder blades.

5.  Imidacloprid (Advantage), a pesticide, is a product of Bayer, kills adult fleas on contact on cats and dogs before they can lay eggs and the flea life cycle is broken. About 98 to 100 percent of adult fleas are killed on the pet within 24 hours by a topical spot application on the back of the neck on cats and between the shoulder blades on dogs.

Dips - In many cases, dips are the most effective way to kill fleas. Dips are usually applied to dogs every 5-7 days. A dip should be applied after a shampoo and rinse by pouring and sponging the solution over the dog so that every part of the dog is covered. The dip should be allowed to dry on the dog, and should not be toweled or rinsed off.

Powders - Powders are not as effective as dips. In most cases, powders must be applied very thoroughly and worked well into the coat of the animal.

Sprays and Foams - In their uses and ingredients, sprays are similar to powders. These may act quickly to kill fleas on contact, but some products have little long-term effect. Sprays are often used as a supplement between weekly dips.

Flea Collars - Flea collars aren't very effective and may even be bad for your pet's health.

Shampoos - The main purpose of a shampoo is to clean the animal. Shampoos will kill a high proportion of fleas; however, most shampoos have no residual activity and are not recommended alone for flea control.

Flea Comb - Using a flea comb daily to remove fleas is not an effective method of flea control since fleas spend only a small amount of time on the pet.

FLEA CONTROL PRODUCT LINKS